Arsenal new boy Granit Xhaka is bossing Euro 2016 but will Gunners flops cope with his win-at-all-costs style?
Switzerland hard man has won consecutive man-of-the-match awards for all-action displays rarely seen at the Emirates
GRANIT XHAKA, after just two matches for Switzerland at Euro 2016, looks to be the man to add some steel to Arsenal’s marshmallow midfield.
The tough-tackling rabble-rousing midfielder has played in two high-pressure matches – one against his brother’s nation Albania and one against an aggressive Romania – and held his ground and nerve.
In Wednesday’s match the 23-year-old could have been sent off after just three minutes for a two-footed tackle.
After the break he picked up a yellow, 47 minutes after he skimmed his £35million toe around the edge of an embarrassingly early bath.
For Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach last season, their talisman pulled no punches as he punctuated dynamic displays of power and control with three red cards.
He shows a rampant determination to win games, rarely seen in the Premier League since the iconic battles between Manchester United’s knight in Diadora, Roy Keane, and Arsenal’s own warrior Patrick Vieira.
After the Albania game one of Vieira’s former team-mates and the Gunners’ greatest goal scorer took note of his focus on one aim; winning.
Thierry Henry said: “He showed that he doesn’t care whether he’s playing against his brother or against his roots. He just wants to win the game.”
There was not mention of his Ozil-esque passing or Cazorla-like ambidexterity.
Here was a man showing his sole reason for lacing up his boots was to win and worryingly in the eyes of the Highbury legend, who is still a regular at the Emirates, that seemed unfamiliar.
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So will Xhaka’s win-at-all-costs attitude work at Arsenal? Will the kick-ups club that won’t degrade itself to practicing defending set-pieces accept a gladiator like Xhaka.
How will Mesut Ozil react to having someone – anyone – inform him his commitment isn’t up to scratch?
In April the uber-talented Gunner said: “I don’t think we need any ‘big characters’ in the way they were defined in the past, players in the club who scream a lot and slaughter their team-mates.
“Everyone here has a voice, it is not that this experienced players is always right and that player isn’t.
“Instead you work well together as a team and that is why I feel good here.”
In two games Xhaka has recovered nine balls and made four tackles. By Wednesday night Uefa rated him as the third best central midfielder in the tournament behind only Toni Kroos and Luka Modric. He seems to strives for success everywhere he goes.
What will he make of Jack Wilshere’s injury record and off-field antics, of Olivier Giroud’s pouting and Theo Walcott’s first-touch?
If Liverpool take an early lead at the Emirates on August 13, with Daniel Sturridge, Roberto Firminho and Philippe Coutinho running riot with a high-pressing game Arsene Wenger’s one-track tactics can’t handle, will Xhaka look around his team and see allies in the trenches or liabilities?
Since the break-up of the Frenchman’s Invincibles, Arsenal have been crying out for a player like Xhaka. But on his current form will they be able to handle him when he arrives and sets his brilliant standard as the bare minimum?
